Chicken of the (Prairie) Sea

Sampling of shots of one of the rarest grouse, indeed of all birds, in North America, the Greater prairie chicken, or boomer as they're also known due to the vocalizations males make during the peak of their display. Charasmatic, photogenic icons of native prairie habitats. If you want to experience these interesting products of evolution, you need to plan ahead, not unlike a hunting trip, plan to be in a blind at least an hour prior to dawn, and sit tight for up to 5 hours before the birds leave for cover mid- to late-morning. Males visit and attend a lek, Scandinavian word for playground, which they prefer on somewhat open ground. When females show up, they ramp up their display rates, and exhibit additional behavior and vocalizations, including the "Flutter Jump" and "Whoop" call.

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Female greater prairie chickens on a booming ground during one of the first snow-free days of 2013. Males "boom" on individual small territories through much of May. Dependent on large tracts of grassland, this species is vulnerable to loss and degradation of habitat, especially in recent years as agricultural landuse intensifies.